African Americans often pick low-paying college majors, study says
African Americans often pick low-paying college majors, study says
The high school graduation rate for African American students in New Jerseyeclipsed 80 percent for the first time in 2015, according to state data.
But a new study released Tuesday found that African American students headed to college are likely to end up in some of the lowest-paying college majors.
Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that while more African Americans are attending college, they are also highly concentrated in lower-paying majors, such as social work or human services and community organization.
"The low-paying majors that African Americans are concentrated in are of high social value but low economic value," said Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the Georgetown Center and co-author of the report.
African Americans make up 12 percent of the U.S. population but account for 8 percent of general engineering majors, 7 percent of mathematics majors and 5 percent of computer engineering majors, the study found.
Meanwhile, African American students make up 21 percent of health and medical administration services majors and 20 percent of human services and community organization majors.
The study is based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey from 2010-2014.
Here are the five majors with the highest concentration of African American students and the median salary:
1. Health and medical administration services: 21 percent ($46,000)
2. Human services and community organization: 20 percent ($39,000)
3. Social Work: 19 percent ($41,000)
4. Public Administration: 17 percent ($52,000)
5. Criminal justice and fire protection: 15 percent ($48,000)
African Americans often pick low-paying college majors, study says
The high school graduation rate for African American students in New Jerseyeclipsed 80 percent for the first time in 2015, according to state data.
But a new study released Tuesday found that African American students headed to college are likely to end up in some of the lowest-paying college majors.
Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce found that while more African Americans are attending college, they are also highly concentrated in lower-paying majors, such as social work or human services and community organization.
"The low-paying majors that African Americans are concentrated in are of high social value but low economic value," said Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the Georgetown Center and co-author of the report.
African Americans make up 12 percent of the U.S. population but account for 8 percent of general engineering majors, 7 percent of mathematics majors and 5 percent of computer engineering majors, the study found.
Meanwhile, African American students make up 21 percent of health and medical administration services majors and 20 percent of human services and community organization majors.
The study is based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey from 2010-2014.
Here are the five majors with the highest concentration of African American students and the median salary:
1. Health and medical administration services: 21 percent ($46,000)
2. Human services and community organization: 20 percent ($39,000)
3. Social Work: 19 percent ($41,000)
4. Public Administration: 17 percent ($52,000)
5. Criminal justice and fire protection: 15 percent ($48,000)
